We're thrilled to have launched PowerHER in partnership with The Orbispace Initiative.
The pilot brought together 100 students and their teachers across two days and attracted strong industry interest, made possible by a generous donation from Equis.
The 2-day career immersion bootcamp is designed to give Year 10 girls and their teachers a head start on the future of work. The program blends hands-on learning, real-world role exploration, industry mentorship and inspiring talks. Students gained 18 hours of future-focused experience—while teachers shared in the learning and pre-work to embed learnings back in the classroom.
The program explores Career Pathways tied directly to Year 10 subject selection.
Day 1 of the program consists of talks from a curated group of UNSW experts and students on topics such as AI and Robotics, communicating complex messages, consumer behaviour and adoption, A High Performance Formula (Sunswift Racing), Political Science, and more. Day 2 is a half-day 'Hackathon', culminating in group pitches from various perspectives of a future community. The program received high praise and great feedback. One teacher reported that four of the ten students that attended asked to change their electives to enable a pathway to study engineering!
PowerHER will run again in April 28 and 29, 2026.
Why it matters
The world of work is changing faster than most students—and educators—can keep pace. The clean energy transition is now one of the most urgent and opportunity-rich sectors in Australia, yet:
- 61% of Gen Z say they’re interested in a “green job” within the next five years¹
- 48% report they lack awareness of what those job opportunities are²
- 44% of post-secondary educated Gen Z feel unprepared to pursue a career in this space²
- 65% say we need new training programs that equip them to step into these roles²
PowerHer is built to respond directly to this gap, giving students access to the real challenges, real skills, and real people shaping the energy economy—and showing them how they fit into it.
What students gain
- Confidence and direction in how their talents and interests connect to real-world impact
- Exposure to emerging careers in energy, engineering, digital technology, policy, and innovation
- Workforce-ready skills including collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and systems thinking
- A deeper sense of purpose in their learning—and a clear view of what’s possible
What teachers gain
- Enrichment of student learning, with all content mapped to the Australian curriculum
- Real-world context for STEM and cross-disciplinary learning, aligned with future industries
- Co-learning model that strengthens student engagement and teacher-student relationships
- Classroom-ready content and strategies to integrate energy transition and innovation into teaching
- Insight into future workforce needs, enhancing career education and subject relevance
- Connections to UNSW researchers and industry leaders, expanding professional networks and context
PowerHer isn’t just about increasing interest in STEM—it’s about making future careers visible, possible, and personal. It supports both students and educators to engage with Australia’s energy future in ways that are practical, meaningful, and immediately impactful.